Guard rail fitting



May '16, 1933. J. BLACKBURN GUARD RAIL FITTING Filed NOV. 2, 1951PIC-3.1

ways or the like, the production of such devices which shall PatentedMay 16, 1933 JASPER BLACKBURN, or WEBSTER GROVES, MISSOURI GUARDRAILFITTING Applicationflled November 2, 1931. Serial No. 572,597. g

This invention relates to improvements in guard rail fittings, and moreparticularly to those fittings for engaging the ends of the cableforming the, guard and has among its objects,

be neat and attractive in appearance, simple and sturdy in construction,compact, reliable, and eflicient and satisfactory for use whereeverfound applicable. I

Another object of my invention is to provide a fitting for engaging theend of a strand cable, so as to form a strong and lasting connectiontherewith without weakening said cable, and Without danger of accidentaldisplacement of the parts. 1

Further objects of my invention are to provide a device for the purposeset forth,-and

in which the parts may be made at a minimum of cost and With a maximumof strength, and which may be either assembled or taken apart rapidly.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown anddescribed, will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which thisinvention appertains, from the disclosures herein given.

To this end, my invention consists in the novel construction,arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described,- andthe uses mentioned, and more particularly pointed out in the claims. c

In the drawing, wherein I have illustrated one embodiment of myinvention, and in which like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts throughout the views,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through one form of fitting,as applied to the cable; 1

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken substantially along the line22 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the wedge member; and c Figure 4'is across-sectional view of said Wedge member, taken substantially along theline 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 1 indicates one end of astrand cable forming part of a fence or rail, generally positioned alongthe side of a road or highfence along highway to resist the impact of anautomobile thereagainst and prevent the same from running off the roadand falling down an embankment, cliff, or other dangerous place adjacentthe road.

These cables are quite strong, and at various places along the length ofthe guard fence, must be anchored, spliced, provided with a take-up, orwith other manner of fittings, and it is highly important that thesefittings be such that they may be easily and quickly applied withoutwasting an undue length of cable, but they must oo-act with the cable soas not to crimp or otherwise injure the same to cause itto losestrength.

The fitting illustrated in the drawing, and indicated generally as A, isin this instance in the form of a take-up, although as will be obviousfrom the description to be set forth more fully hereinafteiy otherfittings designed to accomplish other functions, may be employed, butthe same principle of constructionwillbe found in all of these fittings.The fitting A is preferably made of metal, and the body portion 2 isprovided with opposed and alined end openings axially therethrough, asat 3 and 4, and in this particular instance the length of the opening 4is less than that of the opening 3, the transversely extending innermostwalls at the ends of said openings being indicated at 5 and 6,respectively. A chamber or opening 7 extends the full length of thefitting between 'the' end openings;

The bore throughthe opening 4 is smooth, but the bounding wall'of theopening 3 is provided with longitudinally extending grooves therein, thenumber of grooves depending upon the numberof strands in the cable towhich the fitting is to be secured,

and in this instance is shown as provided with three grooves, becausethe cable has three main strands. Further, the opening 3 is tapered, thediameter of the same being smallest toward the outermost end, as shown.

The wedge member B is also tapered in cross-section, and is providedwith grooves extending longitudinally of the same and adapted to receivethe strands of the cable 1 when the wedge ism operative position'withinthe tapered opening 3 of the member A, said grooves being indicated at8.

In order to secure the end of the cable in place within the fitting, thecable end is first inserted through the opening 3 from the outermostend, and the strands then slightly spread. The wedge member istheninserted within said opening 8, with its small end directed outermost,and with the grooves receiving the main strands of the cable. The wedgemember is then forced outwardly of the opening 3, by any suitable toolto apply the desired pressure thereto, and firmly clamps the strands ofthe cable between the opposed longitudinally extending grooves of themembers A and B. The end of the cable within the fitting will be rigidlylocked in place, and the more pull on the cable, the tighter the wedgingaction.

If it is desired to lock the wedge member in place clamped against thecable, a set screw 9 may be adjustably mounted in said member A so as toengage with the inner most end or head of the wedge member. Its threadedengagement in the member A will prevent its accidental movement awayfrom said Wedge, and the outer end of the screw may be formed with asocket to receive a suitable operating tool.

As previously mentioned, the opening 4 through one end of the member Amay be of less length than the other opening and is preferably smooth orunthreaded, and slightly outwardly flared at either or both its ends,the bore being sufliciently larger than the diameter of the bolt l1which it is to receive to permit of slight lateral play there between.In this way, there is no interlockingof the through bolt 11 within theopening 4, the same being held against withdrawal in the manner to benow described.

That portion of the bolt that projects axially into the chamber 7 pastthe inner end of the transverse wall 6 of the member A, is

, threaded to receive a nut 12, or other suitable fastening means forpreventing accidental withdrawal of the bolt from the member A. It willbe noted that this nut, and bolt also, are preferably of much strongermaterial than that of the member A, of suflicient thickness to easilywithstand the shearing strain on its threads and which occurs when thefitting is in use upon the cable, said nut being of less width than thewidth of the chamber 7, but non-rotatable therein.

The nut is adjusted to the desired amount of take-up, and when pull isexerted upon the bolt and the member A, said nut will abut its full facearea against the adjacent surface of the transverse wall 6, toeffectually prevent withdrawal of the bolt from the member A, this pullbeing taken up by the direct metal-to-metal contact between theseco-operating elements. It will also be noted that the threadedinterengagement between the bolt and nut is for a considerable lengthand hence is extremely strong, especially as compared to a similarthreaded interengagement between the end wall 4 and this bolt, both onaccount of the extra thickness of the bolt, but due to the difference instrength of material.

The use of nuts is much more economical than the threading ofspecial-shaped parts, such as the members A, as special jigs arenecessary'to hold such members A in place while the various threadingoperations are performed. Further, these parts are quite expensive ascompared with nuts, and a spoilage of one of them would entail muchgreater financial loss than a similar spoilage of a nut.

The bolt, although secured in place against withdrawal outwardly of themember A, has sufiicient clearance laterally of the opening 4 to permitslight lateral movement therebetween or displacement from axialalinement, so that the guard rail will have. more give to it and thusminimize permanentinjury to the bolt when such axial mis-alinementoccurs for any reason.

Having thus describedmy invention, it is obvious that various immaterialmodifications may be made in the same without departing from the spiritof my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myselfto the exact form, arrangement, construction, or combination of partsherein shown and described, or the uses mentioned, except as limited bythe state of the art to which this invention appertains, or the claimshereto appended.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fitting for a cable, comprising a tub-ular member open at theopposite ends, one of said openings receiving an anchor bolt;

the other opening having longitudinally eX-,

tending grooves therein; a tapered wedge member insertable into saidgrooved opening and provided with longitudinally extending grooves so asto Wedge the strands of an end of said cable between its grooves andthose in said opening; and means on said tubular member independent ofsaid anchor bolt and adjustably movably engageable with said wedgemember to hold the latter in operative position.

2. A fittingfor a highway guard cable, comprising a member havingopenings through both ends, one of said openings to receive said cable;a bolt loosely insertable intothe other opening and free of securementtherewith, the outermostend of said opening being outwardly flared topermit shifting said bolt in said opening angularly relatively of saidmember; and means engaging said bolt to prevent withdrawal of the latteroutwardly through said opening.

A fitting for a cable, comprising a member having axially alined endopenings, one

of said openings receiving said cable; a bolt of smaller diameter thansaid other opening of said first-mentioned member so'to have lateralplay therebetween; and a nut threadedly engageable With the innermostend of said bolt and having lateral play in said member, wherebyWithdrawal of the bolt from the member is prevented, but permitting ofrelative movement of said bolt and member out of axial alinement.

In testimony whereof he has affixed his signature.

JASPER BLACKBURN.

